2011 Volunteer Awards

Sandy Kaempen is our Volunteer of the Year. This is a one-time award that is given to the volunteer who has contributed the most hours during the previous year and who has not previously received it. Sandy is awarded the Volunteer of the Year for her contribution of 611 hours of service to the library in 2011.

Sandy grew up in Palatine, but spent many hours in the children’s department at AHML, as her grandparents lived a few blocks away. When she and her husband, Randy, married, they bought their first (and only) house in Virginia Terrace. There they raised their two sons, Alex (now 25) and Brian (now 23). Before the boys were born, Sandy worked for ten years in the accounting department at Chemplex Company in Rolling Meadows while attending Roosevelt University, earning a degree in Accounting.

Taking time off while the boys were young, Sandy volunteered at their schools, St James School and John Hersey High School. Highlights from her school volunteer days included coordinating the once-a-week hot lunch program at St James, as well as volunteering for Market Day, Parent’s Club and the Hersey Instrumental Association. Once the boys were a little older, Sandy resumed her paid employment, working part-time for Helene Curtis as a personal-care-products tester for another ten years.

As her boys grew older and moved off to college, Sandy decided to find another venue at which to volunteer. She’s been a bookworm since learning to read as a child and has always found used book stores and sales to be fun, so the Friends of the Library seemed a logical choice. In August of 2004, Sandy began working in the book room as a de-sensor, before moving to the children’s row. Her work with the Book Boutique has evolved over time as she has gradually assumed primary responsibility for keeping it well stocked.

In addition to being a library volunteer, Sandy is also an employee. She joined the staff of the Arlington Heights Memorial Library in April of 2009 as a shelver. Six months later she transferred to the Processing section where she prepares and repairs library materials.

The Arlington Heights Memorial Library is most appreciative of Sandy’s devotion and contributions to the library over these many years and is pleased to honor her as our Volunteer of the Year.